Five Bucs Named All-Conference, Downs Player of the Year, Ward-Cangelosi Coach of the Year
As expected, the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers Women’s Basketball team fared quite well during the Suncoast Conference All-Conference voting on Monday as five players from the Bucs conference championship squad were named to the All-Conference teams while Za’Nautica Downs was named the Player of the Year and Head Coach Kristie Ward-Cangelosi was named the conference’s Coach of the Year.
FORT MYERS, Fla.- As expected, the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers Women's Basketball team fared quite well during the Suncoast Conference All-Conference voting on Monday as five players from the Bucs conference championship squad were named to the All-Conference teams while Za'Nautica Downs was named the Player of the Year and Head Coach Kristie Ward-Cangelosi was named the conference's Coach of the Year.
Downs becomes the third straight Buc to be named the Suncoast Conference Player of the Year, following in the footsteps of 2019 teammate Tina Stephens who won the award the previous two seasons. She was nearly unstoppable in Suncoast Conference play, averaging 24.3 points per conference tilt while shooting 45% from the field and 46% from the three point line. Her 24.3 points per game in conference play were 4 more than any other player in the Suncoast Conference. She scored 14 or more points in all nine conference games and topped the 20 point mark six different times. In the Bucs' second conference game of the year, she scored a school record 41 points against Hillsborough on 16-24 shooting from the field and 7-11 from distance.
Joining Downs on the First Team was Sheslanie Laureano who was the only freshman of the eight players named to the squad. Laureano was rock solid for the Bucs in conference action, averaging 15.7 points per game, while shooting 51% from the field. She scored in double figures in each of FSW's final four conference games including a career high 27 in the championship clinching victory against St. Petersburg.
For the second straight season, Nairimar Vargas-Reyes was named a Second Team All-Conference selection. Vargas-Reyes started all nine conference games for the Bucs, averaging 9.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. Her 8.3 rebounds per night in conference play was good for third most and the most among Suncoast Conference guards. She topped the 10 point mark four times in conference play and had 10 or more rebounds in five games. She put the two together twice, recording double-doubles against Eastern Florida and St. Petersburg.
The second of three Bucs on the Second Team was forward Simone Lett. Lett was one of the more dominating post players in the league this season, averaging 11.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.0 blocked shots per night. Her 2.0 blocks per game in conference play led the league while her 8.0 rebounds ranked fourth right behind Vargas-Reyes. She scored in double figures in seven of nine conference games, notching a pair of double-doubles, both against Eastern Florida.
FSW point guard Cabria Lewis was also named a Second Team All-Conference performer during her freshman campaign. She finished second on the team, playing 29.0 minutes per game in nine conference games, averaging 8.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per contest. Her 4.3 assists per game in conference play were third best in the league and she had 5 or more assists in six of nine outings.
Leading the group to their third straight conference title was the league's Coach of the Year, Dr. Kristie Ward-Cangelosi. The Bucs finished conference play 8-1, good for their third Suncoast Conference Championship in three seasons. FSW outscored their opponents by 14 points per game in conference play and was ranked in the top 15 in the country throughout the course of the season.
The Bucs finished the regular season 24-6 overall and are currently ranked #12 in the nation. They are back in action on Thursday, March 5th when they will take on defending National Champions Gulf Coast State in the first round of the 2020 FCSAA State Tournament in Niceville.
2020 FIRST TEAM ALL-SUNCOAST CONFERENCE
Za'Nautica Downs- Florida SouthWestern
Skye Williams- Eastern Florida
Deshari Graham- St. Petersburg
Sheslanie Laureano- Florida SouthWestern
Milan Schimmel- Eastern Florida
Alaisa Spivey- Hillsborough
Jada Clowers- St. Petersburg
Jacquelyn Levay- Eastern Florida
2020 SECOND TEAM ALL-SUNCOAST CONFERENCE
Alisa Marlow- Hillsborough
Nairimar Vargas-Reyes- Florida SouthWestern
Brittany Wilcox- St. Petersburg
Stephanie Torres- Eastern Florida
Simone Lett- Florida SouthWestern
Holly Davies- Hillsborough
Cabria Lewis- Florida SouthWestern
Domenica Zamora- St. Petersburg
PLAYER OF THE YEAR- ZA'NAUTICA DOWNS- FLORIDA SOUTHWESTERN
COACH OF THE YEAR- DR. KRISTIE WARD-CANGELOSI- FLORIDA SOUTHWESTERN
PLAYER OF THE YEAR- ZA'NAUTICA DOWNS- FLORIDA SOUTHWESTERN
COACH OF THE YEAR- DR. KRISTIE WARD-CANGELOSI- FLORIDA SOUTHWESTERN